Cassie.I woke up slowly, feeling warm—warmer than I should have. My body felt oddly secure, wrapped in a tight embrace. The steady sound of breathing filled my ears, the slight weight of an arm draped over my waist grounding me before my mind even fully registered where I was.And then it hit me.Axel.I stiffened, my eyes widening as I turned my head slightly. His scent surrounded me—woodsy, rich, completely intoxicating. His bare skin was hot against mine, his arm tightening instinctively when I shifted.He was still asleep, his breathing even, his face relaxed in a way I had never seen before.For a moment, I simply lay there, staring at him, caught in the quiet intimacy of the moment. Axel never looked like this when he was awake—unguarded, peaceful.But I had to move. I shifted my waist, testing out the free space around me, and the moment I did, Axel groaned.I froze, waiting a moment so I don’t wake him, then I shifted again, attempting to slide out from his grip. His arms onl
Cassie.The ride to school had been suffocating. Axel didn’t say a word to me, didn’t even glance in my direction, like I had done something unforgivable. Was it really that bad? Was it so wrong to want relief from the ache that had consumed me?“Do you know what would be crazy?” Violet’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to the present.I blinked at her, my steps slowing as I took in the mischief in her eyes. “What?” I asked, raising a brow.“If after everything, your lecturer friend turns out to be a bad person, it would literally break me.”The words hit like a brick, and I stopped walking altogether, my breath catching.“What?” My voice was sharp as she turned to face me fully. “Did something happen?”Violet hesitated, rubbing her neck before finally looking away. “Not entirely,” she admitted. “But a couple of students were whispering about him yesterday. They said they saw him going toward the tall trees behind the school… the big field.”I felt my stomach
Cassie.I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the pack house, my eyes locked onto the massive structure that had once been my home. My fingers curled into fists at my sides, my nails pressing into my palms as if that would steady me.“I’ve been here before. This is nothing,” I whispered to myself, willing my body to relax. But the way my stomach twisted said otherwise.The evening breeze carried the faint scent of baked goods and damp earth, ruffling the braids that framed my face. I swallowed hard, rubbing my clammy hands against my jeans, trying to push away the nerves that had crept in without warning.“You look like you’re a second away from losing your mind.”The voice came from behind me, breaking through my haze of thoughts. I turned sharply, my heart jolting, only to find Jake standing there, his lips curved into an amused smirk.“Nice to know you find this amusing,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as I crossed my arms.“I don’t,” he chuckled, taking a few steps closer. “Kn
Cassie."Hey, isn’t that the Alpha’s slut?" a sharp, mocking voice shattered my thoughts.I pulled my shawl a little tighter around my body, willing myself not to look over my shoulder as I walked back toward the pack house. My breaths came in sharp, shallow pulls, and I picked up my pace."Has she finally gone deaf?" a second voice sneered, and my steps faltered. But I quickly brushed it off, forcing myself to keep moving forward. After all, I was used to people talking about me behind my back. I shook my head, telling myself to ignore them—until someone rammed into me from behind, sending me stumbling forward. I gasped as I hit the ground.Looking up, I found two she-wolves standing over me, their eyes glinting with malice. They exchanged a glance, struggling to stifle their laughter. One of them, a red-haired, snorted, unable to hold it in any longer, and within seconds they both burst out laughing, their mocking voices filling the air."Oops, didn’t see you there, Cassie," the oth
Cassie.For a moment, I stood frozen, my mind spinning, unable to make sense of what I was seeing.I wished desperately that it was all a dream—that I’d wake up, with Cam nestled in his crib beside my bed, and realize it was just another one of those nightmares that had haunted me since our marriage began. But no matter how many times I blinked, the scene before me remained painfully, horribly real.My breath caught as Cam whimpered in my arms, the small cry pulling me back to reality, cementing the terrible truth: this was no dream. This was my life. And standing before me, entwined with my husband, was his true mate. The one person I’d feared he’d find since the moment I became his wife.Selena took a step forward, her eyes softening as she looked at Cam. She stretched out a hand, reaching as though to coo at him, but I instinctively shifted back, holding my son closer. Selena paused, her head tilting to one side in confusion.A faint frown appeared between her brows, but she quickl
Cassie. By the next morning, the whispers had spread throughout the pack estate like wildfire. News that Axel had found his mate traveled fast, and the estate buzzed with excitement. The murmurings of pack members as they gathered in the pack house, exchanging glances and barely whispered conversations made my stomach churn. “We finally have a Luna!” a wolf exclaimed, eyes wide with intrigue. “I hear she’s beautiful. No wonder Alpha was drawn to her at first glance,” another replied with a snicker. Forced to welcome the pack members, I clenched my fists, trying my best to remain positive and composed, but as I made my way through the house, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everyone’s stares and the sting of their words in my chest. In the main living area, Axel was practically glowing, his eyes filled with adoration as he held Selena close. She was everything I wasn’t—confident, radiant, and utterly captivating. Selena laughed at something Axel said, the sound light
Cassie. Days turned into weeks, and the bullying I endured escalated to new heights, far worse than I could’ve ever imagined. Every corner of the pack estate felt foreign, and each encounter with a pack member was a fresh reminder of my failure to keep Axel’s attention. Whispers trailed behind me like shadows, relentless and cold. The pack members looked at me with contempt, as if I were nothing more than a stain on their proud alpha’s life. “Look at her,” one she-wolf sneered as I passed by one day, “The discarded wife, all alone.” “She should be grateful Alpha hasn’t thrown her out yet,” another chimed in, laughing, “But we all know it’s just a matter of time until that happens.” In the midst of it all, Axel’s demand the night before made it difficult for me to sleep. “Make sure to let Selena get close to Cam; he needs to get used to her,” he’d said without so much as looking up from the document on the table before him. I had agreed, believing that perhaps Selena was genu
Cassie. I came to find out Selena really meant every word of her threat two days later. New rumors circulated the pack, where the pack members claimed I was so desperate, so jealous of Selena, that I stooped low enough to use my own son as bait to seduce Axel. They said I was nothing but shameless and if I really thought that if not for my seduction, Axel would ever look my way or pay me any of his precious attention. I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my head high as I heard the new rumors because I knew where they came from, and I was also used to lies being told about me to worry myself about them. If anything, I was only happy that Cam was not grown enough to understand what was being said about me. But no matter how much I ignored it, the rumors kept coming. The next day, as I took Cam out for a morning stroll, I noticed the whispers had only grown louder. This time, they hit harder, cutting deeper. “You know, seeing as Alpha doesn’t like her, I doubt that child is Hi
Cassie.I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the pack house, my eyes locked onto the massive structure that had once been my home. My fingers curled into fists at my sides, my nails pressing into my palms as if that would steady me.“I’ve been here before. This is nothing,” I whispered to myself, willing my body to relax. But the way my stomach twisted said otherwise.The evening breeze carried the faint scent of baked goods and damp earth, ruffling the braids that framed my face. I swallowed hard, rubbing my clammy hands against my jeans, trying to push away the nerves that had crept in without warning.“You look like you’re a second away from losing your mind.”The voice came from behind me, breaking through my haze of thoughts. I turned sharply, my heart jolting, only to find Jake standing there, his lips curved into an amused smirk.“Nice to know you find this amusing,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as I crossed my arms.“I don’t,” he chuckled, taking a few steps closer. “Kn
Cassie.The ride to school had been suffocating. Axel didn’t say a word to me, didn’t even glance in my direction, like I had done something unforgivable. Was it really that bad? Was it so wrong to want relief from the ache that had consumed me?“Do you know what would be crazy?” Violet’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to the present.I blinked at her, my steps slowing as I took in the mischief in her eyes. “What?” I asked, raising a brow.“If after everything, your lecturer friend turns out to be a bad person, it would literally break me.”The words hit like a brick, and I stopped walking altogether, my breath catching.“What?” My voice was sharp as she turned to face me fully. “Did something happen?”Violet hesitated, rubbing her neck before finally looking away. “Not entirely,” she admitted. “But a couple of students were whispering about him yesterday. They said they saw him going toward the tall trees behind the school… the big field.”I felt my stomach
Cassie.I woke up slowly, feeling warm—warmer than I should have. My body felt oddly secure, wrapped in a tight embrace. The steady sound of breathing filled my ears, the slight weight of an arm draped over my waist grounding me before my mind even fully registered where I was.And then it hit me.Axel.I stiffened, my eyes widening as I turned my head slightly. His scent surrounded me—woodsy, rich, completely intoxicating. His bare skin was hot against mine, his arm tightening instinctively when I shifted.He was still asleep, his breathing even, his face relaxed in a way I had never seen before.For a moment, I simply lay there, staring at him, caught in the quiet intimacy of the moment. Axel never looked like this when he was awake—unguarded, peaceful.But I had to move. I shifted my waist, testing out the free space around me, and the moment I did, Axel groaned.I froze, waiting a moment so I don’t wake him, then I shifted again, attempting to slide out from his grip. His arms onl
Cassie.I opened my eyes to the sound of running water filling my ears before I even registered what was happening. The soft splash against the tub was strangely soothing, pulling me from the heavy fog of unconsciousness. And for a second, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of where I was.My room.The faint scent of lavender clung to the sheets beneath me, grounding me in the familiar space. But something felt… off. My body ached—more than that, it burned. A dull throbbing coiled around my stomach, tightening the moment I tried to shift my weight. My breath hitched as the memories came rushing back, piecing together everything that had happened before I blacked out.Pain sliced through me, sharp and unrelenting. I gritted my teeth, pushing past it as I forced myself to sit up. My limbs were heavy, unwilling, but I couldn’t just stay here. I was alone. I needed to take care of myself.Slowly, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet meeting th
Cassie.I leaned back against the vanity, gripping the edge as Axel’s lips trailed along my neck, his breath hot against my skin. His hands roamed over me, his touch possessive, like he had every right to explore my body. One palm skimmed my waist, sliding upward until it settled over my chest, his fingers curling slightly as if testing my reaction.“I need to take this off,” he murmured against my throat, his voice rough, filled with barely restrained hunger. The heat of his body pressed against mine, and I swore he was made of fire—burning, consuming, unstoppable.God.A shiver ran through me as he tugged roughly at my shirt, his impatience clear. My hands flew to his shoulders, steadying myself as he worked at the fabric like pulling at it alone would make it magically disappear.“Wait, Axel,” I gasped, my fingers trembling against his skin.“Like hell I will,” he growled, his lips never leaving my skin, the deep sound of his voice sending a sharp pulse of heat straight to my core.
Cassie.The classroom was too small for the number of voices rising within it. Seven of us sat around a cluster of desks, a circle that didn’t quite feel complete, but no one seemed to mind. Conversations overlapped, ideas were thrown out and debated, but I was silent, watching the way they all worked together like they had done this before. Like they belonged.I didn’t.I had never spoken to them before yesterday, yet here I was, a part of the planning committee for Jared’s candle walk. I wasn’t sure how it happened. Maybe it was because I had been there when they made the announcement, or maybe someone thought I looked like I cared enough to contribute. The truth was, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.And so, I said nothing.For most of the meeting, I was there but not really there, nodding along when necessary, taking mental notes I knew I wouldn’t use. The date was still undecided, but they were discussing logistics now—who would handle what, how they would gather candles,
Axel.The meeting room was suffocating. Not from heat or lack of air, but from the sheer tension hanging in the air, thick and unmoving. The long mahogany table stretched across the center of the room, polished to perfection, reflecting the golden glow of the chandelier above. The walls, lined with deep burgundy wallpaper, felt like they were closing in, the heavy drapes blocking out any sign of daylight. A room meant for order, but right now, it held nothing but unspoken resentment and frustration.I leaned back in my chair, my hands gripping the armrests as I let my gaze sweep over the men in the room—alphas from different regions, all with their own domains, their own responsibilities, and yet, none of them seemed willing to lift a damn finger.“I think it’s high time we address the elephant in the room,” I said, my voice calm but firm, the kind that demanded attention.Across the table, Alpha Tristan scoffed, leaning forward with his arms crossed over his broad chest. His golden-b
Cassie.The ride to school was indeed long, longer than it had any right to be.Not because of the distance but because of the thick, suffocating tension that filled the car. No amount of air conditioning could cut through it, and even with the windows cracked open, the weight of unspoken words and unresolved emotions hung between us.Axel said nothing to me. And I said nothing to him.Violet, bless her, made several attempts at conversation. She brought up the weather, schoolwork, and even a random story about one of her neighbors that she clearly hoped would lighten the mood. But it was useless. Axel remained as unreadable as ever, with his signature scowl sitting on his face, and I was too deep in my own thoughts to play along. I wasn’t even sure what was happening between us anymore. I didn’t understand it.Eventually, Violet sighed and gave up, falling into silence as well.When the car finally came to a stop in front of the school gates, I reached for the door handle, ready to b
Cassie.The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was movement. The subtle shifting of weight, the faint rustling of fabric. My senses sharpened, and my body tensed. For a split second, my heart pounded against my ribs as my half-asleep mind leaped to the worst conclusion—intruders.I sat up in a rush, my gaze darting around the dimly lit room, searching for a shadow lurking in the corners. But all I found was Violet, standing by the mirror, stretching her arms before grabbing her towel.“Good morning to you too,” she said, giving me a knowing look through the mirror’s reflection.I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair as I forced my heart to settle. “Good morning,” my voice was barely above a whisper, my hand pressed against my chest as I tried to slow my breathing.“I’m not going to lie, that scared me. The way you woke up, looking around like you expected to see something—or someone—other than me,” Violet said, her eyes wide as she chuckled, shaking her head as sh